Corvette Connection Took car to have a paint/body repair estimate done for my insurance company's need of "supplemental estimate". Car sat outside with windows down, exposed to excessive rain and snow, as are several other expensive customer cars, for several weeks. I have pictures for proof. Had to call and email shop owner daily, and he either dodged my calls, or lied stating "I'm just about to get to it". Finally I had to drive across town just to see my car, and get some answers. Still had not done anything aside from pushing the car in the shop to make it appear like there had been progress. Owner could not offer me any information (other than that clearly obvious) as to what he allegedly discovered to be wrong, and he seemed surprised at a few things here and there, especially my inquiries for him. Denver Colorado

Corporate Advocacy Program: The best way to manage and repair your business reputation. Hiding negative complaints is only a Band-Aid. Consumers want to see how businesses take care of business. All businesses will get complaints. How those businesses take care of those complaints is what separates good businesses from bad businesses.

Took car to have a paint/body repair estimate done for my insurance company's need of "supplemental estimate". Car sat outside with windows down, exposed to excessive rain and snow, as are several other expensive customer cars, for several weeks. I have pictures for proof. Had to call and email shop owner daily, and he either dodged my calls, or lied stating "I'm just about to get to it". Finally I had to drive across town just to see my car, and get some answers. Still had not done anything aside from pushing the car in the shop to make it appear like there had been progress.

Owner could not offer me any information (other than that clearly obvious) as to what he allegedly discovered to be wrong, and he seemed surprised at a few things here and there, especially my inquiries for him. Owner asked what future plans were for the car, I said I wanted to eventually restore it, and later on I’d completely repaint it, but at this time I just wanted it back on the road. Owner stated he understood, and would provide me an estimate for repairs, and also provide an estimate for other services he suggested, but would do no further work.

Owner then began to mention my insurance co said they'd cover up to $7000 in damages to the car (at this time they had only authorized approx. $5500), and he said he could try and get them for more money. I told him I was a law enforcement officer, and wanted no part in illegal insurance scams. Owner seemed upset, but did not argue.

After I left that night it took several more days to hear back on my car. No written estimate had ever been done. Finally decided to just tow my car elsewhere, yet owner billed me $105 to "push car in shop, and visually look at damage". Owner then began to tell my insurance company fabricated stories about how he was authorized to fully paint the car, which was not authorized by me. I have then, and am still in regular contact w my insurance agent, so he knew shop owner had been lying. I finally paid the bill, and had my car towed out.

Was later advised by tow driver that gas tank appeared to be hanging loosely from car, and that the top part of the gas tank was left exposed to the rain and snow. Driver also informed me that my car's driver door would not open from inside, or outside, and my windows had again been left down while car was yet again exposed to bad weather, and to possible thefts.

My car was given to shop owner’s care with the gas tank fully intact, and nothing exposed to the elements. Both of the doors worked just fine, and the windows worked fine as well (and still do), so there was no need for the car to be left carelessly exposed to harm. When I tried to ask for a breakdown of the charges the owner was trying to justify on my car, he had no significant response, except that:

"I personally reviewed the Insurance Repair Estimate.

4 Employee’s pushed your Vehicle into the Shop and onto a Lift.

With the Vehicle on the Lift, myself and one employee reviewed the Insurance Estimate.

Owner has shown his intent to be vindictive, and cause further damage to customer cars when they do not want his service. I have also spoken with several other corvette owners complaining of similar attempts at insurance fraud, overcharging for services where they used poor quality parts to attempt to fix cars, and even additional new damage caused by shop, and not repaired.

Public should know about poor work ethics (esp. when charging for estimates never given), dishonest and deceptive tactics, general lack of care for customers cars (drive by any time of day, or night and there are at least 5+ expensive cars just sitting outside), and retaliatory damages to vehicle caused by shop.

Private attorney has already been contacted, and is generating estimate of damages caused by shop/owner, and media has been contacted.

Corporate Advocacy Program: The best way to manage and repair your business reputation. Hiding negative complaints is only a Band-Aid. Consumers want to see how businesses take care of business. All businesses will get complaints. How those businesses take care of those complaints is what separates good businesses from bad businesses.

AUTHOR: Nytewulf - ()

SUBMITTED: Thursday, April 17, 2014

POSTED: Thursday, April 17, 2014

He is right, he can't make me happy because he lacks integrity. His response only proves my point that the owner will go to any length with his slick talking tactics. The car should have been returned to me in the same condition it was given to shop owner in regardless what I chose to do. That is my business, not his. It is also not his place to decide what to do for me. Good business skills and ethical values would make that common sense. My insurance has been GREAT to work with! Even in dealing with CC they remained highly professional to them, but highly advised me against proceeding further with CC due to his repeated lies, blowing off customers, and his transparent slick talking.

If you don't mind your car sitting in the rain, and snow with the windows down, and the gas tank exposed feel free to use CC. And this isn't exactly a great area in the first place. Go by the shop at any time, day and night and you'll see just what I mean. It's a criminal's dream.

As far as 26 years of good business....well let's say that he's gotten away with 26 years of schmoozing people at his leisure, and there are an abundance of poor reviews from highly unsatasfied customers reporting similar "slick talking" tactics costing them in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Just a few reviews:

"I had a corvette suck up some water through the intake. I called the Corvette Connection for an estimate. Rich (the owner) convinced me to let him handle the insurance company. Handle them he did. He got them to issue $10,000 for a replacement engine. He told me if he does the job he could build me a 383. I gave him the car excited about my new, more powerful engine. Through regular communication, after he had time in the job he told me there was no way he could do a 383 for that cost. I reluctantly agreed to a new crate motor. Two months later I had it back. The NEW engine had valve train noise that he says is normal even though NONE of the other LS engines in any car I've been near have that ticking. It is sluggish and it chugs when the cruise is set. Oh yeah! It won't pass emissions! It did, however, pass emissions a month before Rich got the car. After I got it back, it doesn't. Rich and I have been arguing about this failure for about four months. Lucky for him, in those months the three month warranty expired.

The car is no longer a joy to drive but an embarrassment. It ticks and rattles at stop lights and the attention it draws is not the attention that a corvette should draw. I have since sold the car. The new owner reported that when Rich and his team installed the cam they bent two push rods. Also the three lifters had seized rollers and have worn the cam lobes. Further, the new owner dismantled the engine to clean it since the crankcase was littered with cam shavings and found that the cause of the vibration was a missing bolt in the new clutch pressure plate (that the Corvette Connection installed) as well as an out of balance flywheel. Do NOT use the Corvette Connection. They are not professionals. They are simply parts replacement guys. And bad ones at that. This was a miserable experience."

Or

"I brought in my vehicle to have an inspection done for leaking oil. There were a few issues discussed below:

1. In the process the technician noticed a loose exhaust bracket and broke it trying to tighten it (I did not request this be done). I was charged 25 dollars to fix this bracket. I did not approve the work or ask for this to be done in any way.2. The shop suggested I rebuild the transmission, rebuild the clutch and replace an oil pan gasket for over 4200 dollars. It turned out the transmission and the clutch were both in good condition and neither required a rebuild. Another shop fixed the leaking issue by replacing the oil pan gasket and replacing a missing bolt at a cost of 350 dollars.3. They were disorganized and made me wait over an hour to get my bill of 79 dollars for putting the car up on a rack for 30 minutes (about 20 of which was me waiting while the tech worked on another car).

In summary, I think the technicians are probably very capable of doing quality work, but the business practices I experienced leads me to believe there are far more honest businesses in the Denver area that deserve the work more."

"Let me put it this way, If my car was broke down and not running and CC was the only shop in town that could fix it, it would stay broke in my garage and never see CC again"

"

Picked up my C4 tonight from Corvette Connection Denver. Came home and cried my self to sleep.This was the second time in the past 2 weeks I went to get her. Someone backed in to her at cruise pushing her into another car. I took her to CC because that's where everyone told me to go. Rich told me if Progressive OK'd his estimate he'd waive my deductible. MAACO did a better job. The first time I went to get her there was dirt in the paint, the color didn't match, and they ground into my bumper where maaco originally bridged the gap.(and the car was dirty) After two weeks of excuses and I just don't know what to do's I told them I was picking up the car on Monday. Monday morning Rich called me and offered to repaint the non matching bumpers. Well it's Thursday, Now the bumpers still don't match, I have a run between the Corvette emblem and the tail lights, the grinder mark is still there. My Corvette emblem is wavy, bumpers don't even come close to lining up, headlight door sticks (never did before). Car is still dirty. And guys it's dark outside, I'm afraid of what I'll see when I uncover her in the morning and pull her out of the garage. Needless to say I did not pay the deductible. I am using that money to take the car to Maaco to get it all one color again. The excuses, the BS; this was a simple repair I just don't understand how a Corvette shop has such "Lack of Pride in workmanship" If a Corvette shop "Just doesn't know what else to do" they should have given me back the check from the insurance company and let me take some where else. They will NEVER see my C4 again. They botched the job twice, I was afraid to let them try again. (and they didn't offer to make it right)

I truly wish I had found these reviews sooner as to I have been Rich's latest rip off,I brought my stingray in for a simple front facia replacment and a complete re paint which he told me it would be only be 3-4 weeks to completion it took 4-months and my vette would have be better repaired at Macco,After all the waiting and being paid the sum 9302.dollars he returns my vette with the crappiest paint job possible,the entire car is nothing but a blue orange with dirt under the clear coat and none of the seams line up doors ,hood and the new front facia was installed with large tooth file.He estimated the car then comes back a month and half later calling my insurance company for more money and when that did not work he tried sticking it to me.He has several different standards there but dose not explain them when he's taking your money. and another month passes and he calls me to come look at my vette and the cracks he found in all 4 wheel wells which were not there before I brought it to him,and he got very offensive when I told him they were not there when I brought it to him,only guilty people act this way,My car was painted only 1 year ago and the paint was a light blue metalic pearl and what I got back was this minute metal flake and no apparent pearl and one single coat of clear with dirt and sand stuck under it.If you run your hand down any part of the car it feels like sand paper. I also had several trim screws missing and missing from my dash board which should not been touched for the work agreed on. I believe Rich is sneaky little liar and is everything these other poor folks have been through with him is completely true,in fact I went to a shop today that had to fix his repair and paint for the same reason I was there.And I do plan on getting together with all infected customers and do a class action suit on this crook.I already have several evaluations of is work and the cost to fix his work.So explain that one Rich also include corvette connections standards of repairing fiberglass with bondo,even after you estimated the car yourself.Hagerty's has put your company on the do not use list and next will be the BBB and the National corvette Forum ratings ,I don;t believe you'll be in the top ten any longer.If you want to fund your easter egg race cars try using your own money to fund your hobby -what a joke!!! He dos'nt even know what a complete paint involves as he put in my billing statement he painted the door jams at no extra charge , its apparent the car was put back together with malice and no care for the customer's property. I would not send my worst enemy of mine there for it would be to cruel.I'm also missing a rear corvette emblem which was not installed on a brand new rear facia and was not returned to me.That I consider theft.

"Worst shop I have ever delt with in my life

Butchered my blown 02 Z06. Spent $30000 and I am still chasing problems from shoddy work 8 months later at another shop! BEWARE they will over charge you not take responsibility for their mistakes. Very dishonest and incompetent. CHECK THE LOCAL VETTE FORUMS!"

"The owner is driven by what he can talk you into buying. He does not care about you or your car only how much money do you have to spend. If you do not believe me then contact Thane Avery who spent over $60 k on his 2005 Vette only to have the whole car redone and redone right. This place is a bad place to go. Try any other speed shop first."

"This place is terrible, drop your car off and you don't see it again for 6 months to a year if you are lucky and then the money issue is on a completely different level. The owner is like a casino in the fact the only reason to open the door is to take all of your hard earned money and pay for his race car, and pay for parts on other cars that have been sitting collecting dust waiting for parts and when another fool walks in the door then the cycle starts all over again. Avoid this place like the plague and don't support the owners greed for racing and money. What a joke."

AUTHOR: Rich Lenhart, Owner - ()

SUBMITTED: Wednesday, April 16, 2014

POSTED: Wednesday, April 16, 2014

This Corvette came into our Shop as an Insurance Repair. The Main question was what was the Vehicle worth vs what was the Damage Cost to Repair were going to be. The Insurance Company was being very fair in the Repair Estimate they had provided. I spent a fair amount of time communicating with the adjuster regarding the the potential repairs. The Client, who has posession of the Insurance Check could not decide if he wanted to fix the car, scrap the car and Pocket the Money, or Paint the Entire Car (A different Color), but didn't have the Money to go that direction. In meeting with the Client in Person, and viewing his car together, it was determined that the car needed extensive Mechanical Repairs in addition to the Damage Repair. Sensing that the Client had limited interest in proceeding with everything to get the Car Running and Road Worthy, we decided to release this Job to another Shop. Hopefully they will be able to work with the client. We did charge the Insurance Company $105.00 for Handling the Vehicle, and Paperwork Involved, and E-mail and Telephone Time. The Insurance Paid this Fee, so the Customer was never out of pocket a single cent.

As far as the other claims made by the Customer, our Positive 26 Years serving the Corvette Community Speaks for its self. I believe that this Customer might be upset that we choose not to work on his car.

Corporate Advocacy Program: The best way to manage and repair your business reputation. Hiding negative complaints is only a Band-Aid. Consumers want to see how businesses take care of business. All businesses will get complaints. How those businesses take care of those complaints is what separates good businesses from bad businesses.